It’s not as simple to find an apartment on the Internet as it might seem. Following Craigslist or other apartment rental sites can be like trying to get a cool, refreshing drink from a waterfall – more of a drowning deluge than a refreshing trickle. Before you know it, you’re inundated in updates, which you still seem to be late to snatch up.
Regional Facebook apartment hunting groups are a powerful ally, when it comes to sourcing hot properties in your intended neighborhood, particularly if you’re moving to a new city or area, where you don’t have the opportunity to walk around and look for “For Rent” signs or have connections to offer an in for desirable rentals.
How to Start Your Your Apartment Hunt Using Local Facebook Groups
To begin your apartment hunting on Facebook, start off with keywords such as “apartment hunting” or simply “housing”, and see if there are any local groups that specialize in apartment hunting or groups that have listings or rentals.
These local groups are more specific as far as what kind of environment you’ll be living in. This makes it easier to find a tight community of like-minded folks versus country-wide housing groups.
Here are a few topics to touch on with your potential landlord or roommates before you agree to move in.
What To Look For In Facebook Apartment Hunting Groups
Lifestyle preferences:
Because you are renting a space belonging to someone else, you might encounter a few roadblocks in your search, especially if you smoke. Usually landlords or potential roommates will be upfront about this and list it in their post as a “non-smoking” house or building. Most of the time, this is specific only to the inside of the building, but it’s good to be cautious and verify what they mean.
When you are looking to move into a place with existing tenants/roommates, look for keywords such as “vegan household” or “not a party house” or “420 friendly”. Depending on your lifestyle these key phrases can make or break a potential housing opportunity. For instance, if you are an enthusiastic carnivore, pretending to be vegan just to get the apartment probably won’t be the right fit in the long run. Look for like-minded people when you are planning to move into a roommate share household.
Pets:
If moving with a pet seems to be a futile search – and it sometimes is – try looking into more pet specific housing groups. Look for keywords such as “pet friendly” or a more specific “cats/dogs only” in housing groups and their listings. If they allow pets there is usually a one time pet deposit to be included with the rent.
Moving as a couple:
In some instances, landlords or potential roommates might be unfavorable towards a couple moving it. It’s important to let them know that you are moving in together and that your SO is not just “visiting” seven days a week. This will help you avoid problems in the future.
“No couples” isn’t always listed so it never hurts to send a message and ask. If you are experiencing trouble with this issue, direct your search for more couple friendly groups or family groups on Facebook.
Spams and Scams:
Most Facebook housing group pages try very hard to keep spam posts off their pages to prevent people from getting scammed. If a post is vague about the details of the unit but still seems legitimate, ask specific questions to clear things up. Also, make sure to never give anyone a deposit or money in any form until you’ve seen the place and have spoken with the landlord.
If you are moving to a new city and are limited to an online search for an apartment, call the company or landlord to make sure that the post is legitimate. (Double check the phone number online to make sure it really belongs to the company.)
Living in a place that is the right fit for you is important to your overall happiness, so be thorough and ask lots of questions. Sometimes finding the perfect apartment can be as simple as being in the right place at the right time but usually it takes a fair amount of research and persistence.
Please share in comments below your best tips for using Facebook groups in your apartment hunt. Good luck and have fun!
